Blue Jays GDT: Opening Day!

[canucksfan]

I am curious how Francis will do. With Max sidelined likely for a while, it will be important for Francis to do well.

 

[Blitzkrug]

Bats looked good in the four game series even if the stats didn't entirely reflect it (see; Guerrero, Vlad and Springer, George) so i'm optimistic about this series.

Soroka throws soft and not particularly well. Hammer him.

Kirky is probably gonna have a busy series too given how much the Nats like to run.

 

[Blitzkrug]

Strike zone definitely a bit bigger tonight it appears. Couple favorable calls for Francis there.

 

[phillipmike]

Crafty and Mindful, Bowden Francis Is a More Serene Version of Max Scherzer

The Blue Jays right-hander is similar in some respects to his far more intense and emotional teammate.

blogs.fangraphs.com

Bowden Francis was one of baseball’s best pitchers over the final two months of the 2024 season. From August onward, the 28-year-old Toronto Blue Jays righty made nine starts and posted a 1.53 ERA with 56 strikeouts while allowing just 24 hits and seven walks across 59 innings.

All told, Francis recorded a 3.30 ERA, a 22.5% strikeout rate, and a 5.4% walk rate last season across his 27 appearances (13 starts) spanning 103 2/3 innings. It stands to reason that the minuscule .211 BABIP he allowed isn’t repeatable, though it may not be due for as much of a regression as you might expect. Inducing weak contact is Francis’ modus operandi on the mound, and a low BABIP is a feature of his game, not a fluke.

Even though they both have nasty splitters, Gausman isn’t the best pitcher in the Blue Jays rotation to compare to Francis. According to Baseball Savant, based on velocity and movement, the major league pitcher most similar to Francis is none other than his new teammate, Max Scherzer.

Three Cy Young awards into his 18-year career, Scherzer presents very differently from Francis despite the similarity of their stuff. Unlike Francis, all you have to do is watch Scherzer for an inning to know that he’s intense and emotional. Much for that reason, the younger Blue Jay had a calmer comp for himself in mind.

“I’m more of a Kyle Hendricks,” Francis said. “‘The Professor.’ He’s kind of monotone on the mound. I like watching him. He’s great.”

Incoming best pitcher of our generation.

 

[red devil]

Gimenez with another homer

 

[Blitzkrug]

Gimenez for the Hank Aaron award (e5)

In all serious: excuse me what the f***? Did the team know something we didn't by deploying him in cleanup?

 

[Forgotusername]

So Gimenez is our power hitter now?

 

[Seath The Scaleless]

Nacho

Again!

 

[MK78]

Nacho hits another one!

 

[PanniniClaus]

Gold glove second baseman and masher... early returns are good.

 

[MK78]

John Schneider looks like a genius so far for putting him in cleanup, much to Barker's dismay.

 

[canucksfan]

if Gimenez can get close to his career year, that trade will be a steal.

 

[Blitzkrug]

Gimenez had like zero pop in Cleveland. He's already a third to his 2024 mark of 9 HR. Respectfully; how?!?!

John Schneider looks like a genius so far for putting him in cleanup, much to Barker's dismay.

So did i. I disliked the move because Gimenez' profile is basically the opposite of what you want in a cleanup hitter.

Until he decided baseballs are evil and they must be destroyed, that is.

 

[MK78]

Gimenez had like zero pop in Cleveland. He's already a third to his 2024 mark of 9 HR. Respectfully; how?!?!

So did i. I disliked the move because Gimenez' profile is basically the opposite of what you want in a cleanup hitter.

Until he decided baseballs are evil and they must be destroyed, that is.

Yeah no kidding. Everyone expected Santander to hit cleanup.

 

[MS]

if Gimenez can get close to his career year, that trade will be a steal.

Even the 2023 version of Gimenez with an OPS+ of 96 was still a 5 WAR player.

 

[Suntouchable13]

What does Encarnacion do? We already have 3 hitting coaches. I don't mind his presence, but just wondering what is his role?

 

[Blitzkrug]

What does Encarnacion do? We already have 3 hitting coaches. I don't mind his presence, but just wondering what is his role?

Probably just a vibes guy lmao. I don't think he's there consistently enough to be a coach.

"Edwin, i'm having a hard time at the plate rn. Any advice"

"Have you tried imagining a parrot on your shoulder?"

"..."

 

[Blitzkrug]

This strike zone is all over the place, mostly in the Jays favor but still.

There's no way that 2-2 pitch to Bo is a ball.

 

[Seath The Scaleless]

Lol this ump. Soroka got screwed on that ball 3 call to Bo

 

[jetsforever]

Vlad!

 

[MK78]

Yeah that zone is tight.

Nice double Vladdy.

 

[Blitzkrug]

Great situational hitting to bring the run in.

Also since when does Soroka touch f***ing mid 90s with his stuff?

 

[MS]

This strike zone is all over the place, mostly in the Jays favor but still.

There's no way that 2-2 pitch to Bo is a ball.

We’re normally on the wrong end of the ump score and it’s a bloody weird feeling when we get the Yankee treatment.

Francis looking really sharp today which is great news after the iffy spring.

 

[Discoverer]

Even the 2023 version of Gimenez with an OPS+ of 96 was still a 5 WAR player.

Yeah, the 2022 version is a bit much to ask for because that's an MVP candidate.

 

[Blitzkrug]

Yeah, the 2022 version is a bit much to ask for because that's an MVP candidate.

2022 Gimenez was also smiled upon heavily by the BAPIP gods so even more so to ask.

He's another case where if you can get anything above 100 OPS+ the trade becomes a robbery rather than just a good move.